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The Best UK Summer Festivals 2019

The Best UK Summer Festivals 2019

Blue dot festival

As ever it’s shaping up to be a bumper year when it comes to summer festivals packed with great music acts. And there’s an incredible array of choices, with something for everyone from electro heads to lovers of the independent scene, even those who want a bit of surf with their tunes. Here’s our UK summer festival guide 2019 so you can find out the very best fest to fit you.

Liverpool Sound City

Liverpool Sound City Festival

When: 3rd – 5th May

Where: Baltic Triangle, Liverpool

Highlights: Mabel, Loyle Carner, Shame, The Magic Gang.

What is it?: If you’re looking for a place to see some of the best emerging acts around then Sound City is for you. The focus is firmly on local talent here, with new musicians from the area championed, while bigger acts like Loyle Carner make up the headline spots.

The Great Escape

Gig at The great escape festival

When: 9th – 11th May

Where: Various locations, Brighton

Highlights: Foals, Lewis Capaldi, Anna Calvi, Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes, Indoor Pets, Fat White Family.

What is it?: The place to discover the freshest musical acts. For well over a decade The Great Escape has been responsible for bringing the best new bands and musicians to the forefront. Look no further than recent MALESTROM interviewees Amyl & the Sniffers.

All Points East

All Points East festival
Image credit: Jordan Curtis-Hughes

When: 24th – 26th May & 31st May – 2nd June

Where: Victoria Park, London

Highlights: The Chemical Brothers, Bon Iver, Christine and the Queens, The Strokes, Bon Iver, Mac Demarco, Bring Me The Horizon, Mumford & Sons.

What is it?: It’s the second year of this new festival featuring 10 days of music and entertainment held over two weekends.

Field Day

Singer Jorja Smith

When: 7th – 8th June

Where: Meridien Water, Enfield, London

Highlights: Skepta, Deerhunter, Jorja Smith, Diplo, The Black Madonna, Modeselektor, Jungle, Pusha T, Octavian, Julia Holter

What is it?: This embarrassment of riches when it comes to urban acts moves to an exciting new location this year. The Drumsheds in Enfield has 10 acres of outdoor space and four gigantic interlinking warehouses, it also boasts the loudest festival sound system in the capital and revellers can party till 3am.

Isle of Wight

Main stage of the Isle of Wight festival

When: 13th – 16th June

Where: Newport, Isle of Wight

Highlights: Noel Gallagher, George Ezra, Biffy Clyro, Courteeners, Richard Ashcroft, Lily Allen, Sam Fender.

What is it?: The UK’s longest-running music festival is over fifty years old. The hallowed stage has famously played host to legends like Hendrix and The Doors and fittingly this year’s themes is Summer of ‘69 – Peace and Love.

Download

Image credit: James Bridle

When: 14th – 16th June

Where: Donington Park, Leicestershire

Highlights: Def Leppard, Slipknot, Tool, Slash, Smashing Pumpkins, Whitesnake

What is it?: The most rocking festival in the UK as ever features some legends in its line up this year. Aside from the likes of Slipknot and Smashing Pumpkins metal royalty Slayer will be making their final UK appearance.

Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury Festival

When: 26th – 30th June

Where: Worthy Farm, Somerset

Highlights: The Cure, Tame Impala, Janelle Monáe, Christine and the Queens, Stormzy, Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson.

What is it?: The world’s most famous fest returns after a fallow year. Tickets went long ago but you can avoid the inevitable mud and watch all the comings and goings on the BBC.

Lovebox

Lovebox festival

When: 12th – 13th July

Where: Gunnersbury Park, London

Highlights: Solange, Chance the Rapper, Giggs, 2Chainz, Cypress Hill, J Hus, Four Tet, Slow Thai.

What is it?: The best fest to see the finest rap and hip hop acts going. Last years move to Gunnersbury Park hasn’t harmed this most urban of fests, off the back of Wu-Tang Clan headlining last year, this time they have Beyonce’s little sis backed by renowned rapper Chance.

Henley Festival

Fireworks going off at Henley Festival

When: 10th – 14th July

Where: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

Highlights: Boy George, Jessie J, Tom Odell, Bjorn Again, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

What is it?: The UK’s only black-tie festival is an unashamed posh do. But that doesn’t mean it’s a sedate affair. Make sure you take insurance out on any tux rentals, because once the bubbly starts flowing it’s bound to get messy.

bluedot Festival

The Flaming Lips performing at bluedot festival

When: 18th – 21st July

Where: Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire

Highlights: Kraftwerk, New Order, Hot Chip, Jon Hopkins, Kate Tempest, 808 State, Sons of Kemet.

What is it?: The UK’s most intergalactic festival that fuses music, science, arts and culture. Knutsford’s iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory is the perfect backdrop for this most cosmic of summer festivals.

Latitude Festival

Latitude festival

When: 18th – 21st July

Where: Henham Park, Suffolk.

Highlights: Neneh Cherry, Lana Del Ray, Underworld, Sigrid, Primal Scream, Baxter Dury.

What is it?: Along with some great music this Suffolk-based festival has a variety of theatre, comedy and dance acts to keep everyone thoroughly entertained.

Y Not

Y Not Festival
Image credit: Max Miechowski

When: 25th – 28th July

Where: Pikehall, Derbyshire

Highlights: Elbow, Foals, Wolf Alice, You Me At Six, Echo and the Bunnymen, Mike Skinner DJ set.

What is it?: Back for its 14th-year, this indie fest set in the beautiful surroundings of the Derbyshire Peak District is the perfect antidote to all the city-based festivals taking place this year. Good vibes, good views and plenty of mid-summer music.

Neverworld

Neverworld festival
Image credit: Andrew Benge

When: 1st – 4th August

Where: Hever, Kent

Highlights: The Vaccines, Craig David, Mystery Jets, Indoor Pets, Professor Green, Sleeper.

What is it?: This multi award-winning immersive music and art event is as much a magical kingdom as a festival. The picturesque John Darlings Farm is where all the action takes place and it promises to be another unforgettable experience for attendees.

Boardmasters

Boardmasters festival in Newquay

When: 7th – 11th August

Where: Watergate Bay, Cornwall

Highlights: Wu-Tang Clan, Florence + the Machine, Foals, Dizzee Rascal, The Wombats, Giggs.

What is it?: If you fancy five days of music and surfing on the Cornish coast then Boardmasters is for you. Take in huge headliners like Wu-Tang, or if you fancy more relaxing pursuits you can get involved in yoga sessions and wellbeing workshops.

Boomtown Fair

Boomtown Fair

When: 7th – 11th August

Where: South Downs National Park, Hampshire

Highlights: Ms Lauryn Hill, The Streets, Prophets of Rage, Chronixx, Chase & Status, Groove Armada.

What is it?: One of the most radical festivals in the UK, boasting a pop-up city within a festival. This brilliant independent event set in the Matterley bowl in Hampshire is entering its eleventh year, or chapter as they say, and is an immersive experience that at times is like a living breathing performance piece.

Green Man Festival

Green Man Festival

When: 15th – 18th August

Where: Abergavenny, Wales

Highlights: Father John Misty, Four Tet, Eels, Sharon Von Etten, Stereolab, Idles, Car Seat Headrest, Pigs x7.

What is it?: Wales’ biggest music fest is also one of the most relaxed and eclectic in the UK. There’s plenty to like about Green Man, aside from the stunning location they have a knack of curating great line ups with this year being no exception to that rule.

FolkEast

Musicians playing at FolkEast festival

When: 16th – 18th August

Where: Glemham Hall, Suffolk

Highlights: Richard Thompson, Cara Dillon & Friends, Karine Polwart Trio

What is it?: One of the finest and quirkiest folk fest destinations in the UK launched in 2012 and has continued to grow ever since. FolkEast is a cross-arts celebration of song, dance, crafts and all things musical.

Victorious

A girl dances in a fountain at Victorious festival in Portsmouth

When: 23rd – 25th August

Where: Southsea Seafront, Portsmouth

Highlights: Rudimental, Two Door Cinema Club, Final Headliner, Doves, The Specials, James Bay, The Hives, Clean Bandit, The Zutons, Bloc Party.

What is it?: The UK’s biggest metropolitan, family friendly fest was founded in 2011 and continues to bring in the crowds. Over the August Bank Holiday Weekend, the picturesque Southsea Seafront plays host to an array of top musical acts, with New Order and Rudimental among the headliners.

End of the Road

End of the Road Festival
Image credit: © Sonny Malhotra

When: 29th Aug – 1st Sep

Where: Larmer Tree Gardens, Salisbury

Highlights: Beirut, Courtney Barnett, Sleaford Mods, Michael Kiwanuka, Metronomy, Jarvis Cocker, Mitski.

What is it?: One of the last and very best stops on the festival circuit. Independent acts are championed at this friendly fest that wins bucket loads of awards and deserves every one of them.

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